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Monday, January 20, 2014

Pho Viet, Cabramatta

One thing that I love about Cabramatta is the many gastronomical options whenever you are in need of a good and cheap feed that will surely fill you up. On the other hand, the one thing that I don't like about Cabramatta is how early they tend to close with most restaurants shutting its doors at 6pm or 7pm. Pho Viet is one of those few restaurants that actually close at 9pm in this part of town and very close to the station. It has been around for at least 30 years and the decor remains mostly the same as it was when it first opened. And that's the way the locals like it.

We all have our favourite pho restaurant whether it's Pho Tau Bay, Pho An, PHD or one of the Vietnamese restaurants in Flemington (been getting recommendations from mates to try the pho there). Pho Viet is actually Luke Nguyen's (Red Lantern, various SBS cooking and travel shows) favourite pho restaurant, which hasn't really been a secret. Surely if a well-known TV chef praised the pho at this restaurant higher than the usual faves then it must be really really good right?

Complimentary lemon, bean sprouts and Vietnamese basil

At $10 for a small bowl of hearty rare beef noodle soup, this will get you full as you dig into the meal. The thin slices of rare beef were plentiful while the silky noodles appeared to be thinner than many pho establishments I've experienced. Depending on your preference, a squeeze of lemon and a handful of leaves and bean sprouts adds a bit of flavour and texture.I've noticed that the broth had a stronger soy sauce flavour thus it tasted quite salty (and I usually do not add any soy sauce to my pho when dining out). Still I managed to polish up the bowl which is always a good sign.

Pho Tai - small ($10.00)

Recently, I returned back after being intrigued about Pho Viet's signature dish according to Good Food Month's Cabramatta Signature Dish flyer and even on the signage at the front. Surprisingly enough, this isn't pho dac biet or any other pho dish. It's actually the Prawn, Crab Meat and Pork with Handmade Noodle Soup (Mi Quang). I fall weak over the sight of hand made noodles and crab meat on the menu so this is perfect for me. At $12.00, this was an amazing dish that I wouldn't mind coming back for. The handmade noodles were flat and thick with a bitey texture. The broth was spicy with a touch of peanut and a generous amount of pork and crab meat for a well-balanced and mouth-watering bowl to enjoy.

Mi Quang ($12.00)

Like the pho, you also get a complimentary plate of various condiments including bean sprouts, lemon and lettuce. Ended up making good use of the crunchy lettuce for some much needed greens in my diet. There was even a complimentary prawn cracker to scoop from the bowl. It wasn't as crunchy but still satisfying.

Complimentary Prawn Cracker

Complimentary lettuce, bean sprouts and lemon

The service experience was fast and furious with no fuss or nonsense, which is what we expect for most restaurants in the area. There are plenty of other authentic Vietnamese dishes to enjoy including bun bo hue, hu tieu, various rice dishes and even bull's penis. Not joking there guys - it really does exist as a dish here. Wouldn't mind coming back here to make the most of their evening trading hours whenever I have a craving for the Mi Quang dish. With most (if not all) dishes priced at less than $15, your hunger will be satisfied with huge servings that will fill you up no matter what you order.

Are you serious, the pho at Pho Viet is only $10?! At Pho An, it's $13 for a small bowl! Hmm, I never add soy sauce to my pho, I just add sriracha and hoisin :) and YUMMMMM Mi Quang is one of my favourite dishes, and $12 is such a bargain! I usually eat that with the crispy baked rice paper - banh trang nuong - i love it when you crack little pieces of it and pop it into the broth - the popping noises make the dish soooo irresistible!! I defs have to try these dishes at Pho Viet now :)